CORAL GABLES – How will Jacory Harris react if Stephen Morris is named the starting quarterback? How will Morris react if Harris gets the job?

Both want to be under center for the first snap at Maryland in a month, so it’s probable some people will assume the next two weeks of camp until a starter is named will be a cold war between the two friends.

“I’m not surprised because when you’re looking at it from the outside, that’s how it looks – ‘Oh man, they’re going for the same spot, so something between them must be really fiery,’” Morris said.

“No. On the contrary, me and him are really good friends. If you let football get to your friendship, it’ll ruin your friendship and take over you mentally and that’s all you’ll think about.”

The final part of last season wasn’t easy for either quarterback. After Harris suffered a concussion at Virginia in the eighth game, Morris started the next three games.

Harris was healthy for the regular-season finale against USF, but then-coach Randy Shannon chose to start Morris, then pulled him after Morris threw an interception early in the second half.

Harris started the Sun Bowl, but was replaced by Morris in the first half after throwing three picks.

“Talking with my family and having a strong faith in God really helped me get through it because a lot of times it was rough,” Morris said of latter part of the season.

“Dealing with Jacory and being great friends and then all of a sudden you’re competiting against him halfway through the season is an awkward situation. But we handled it professionally and very well. I’m really grateful for our friendship.”

“He’s like my little brother,” Harris, a senior, said of the sophomore. “We always mess with each other about music, how he looks. He’s ugly. You can put that in the paper. Stupid stuff like that creates that bond with us.”

Harris continued: “I’m never going to disrespect him, never going to not help him because I look at him like a little brother and I care about this program. I know next year he’s the guy that’s going to be here. So whether or not he’s starting this year, I want to give him everything I know.”

Morris said he and Harris have talked a couple of times when they’ve gone out at night about not letting this competition affect their friendship. Usually, though, they don’t like to talk football.

Offensive lineman Brandon Washington said Harris and Morris’ friendship, as well as that of the top two running backs Lamar Miller and Mike James, ensure there will be no off-field issues with the offense.

“Lamar could easily say, ‘I’m better than Mike.’ Mike could say, ‘I’m better than Lamar. Let me start.’ Jacory and Stephen, same thing,” Washington said. “That’s just an example of four guys who’re being team players and not selfish and arrogant, cocky or big-headed about the position.”

Harris handled the criticism of him last season as well as anyone could have, Washington said.

“A lot of people would have gone into the tank and let football go, like, ‘I ain’t got to take this, man, just because I’m the quarterback of the team. The team’s losing. Not just me.’ But he stuck through it and he fought. And he’s going to show what he fought for this season.”

AND IT BEGINS…

Here’s what to expect from the QB competition when camp starts Saturday at 8:20 a.m. with the first practice:

— The plan is for Harris and Morris to rotate series with the first-team offense. The quarterbacks will be judged on completion percentage, interceptions, leadership and decision-making.

“They’ll both get ample opportunity to throw with the No. 1 receivers and we’re going to chart them every day,” Golden said.

“We know what it needs to look like in terms of us improving, bringing the turnovers down, bringing our interceptions down and making better decisions with the football, most particularly in the red zone. If that doesn’t get fixed by one of them, that’s going to be an easy decision to make by us as a staff.”

— As Golden has repeatedly said, “it’s a dead heat” with Harris and Morris for the starting job. “And again, I can say it publicly, but I’ve also said it privately.”

— It’ll be interesting to see how quickly Memphis transfer Ryan Williams masters the offense. Williams must sit out this season because of transfer rules, but has filed a request to the NCAA for a family hardship waiver that would allow him to play this season.

If it’s granted – no word yet, Golden said Friday – the ‘Canes would have four quarterbacks [redshirt senior SpencerWhipple is also available] in the mix, which would help in case of injury.

D.J. Humphries will choose among Auburn, Clemson, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Humphries, 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds, has a clearer head now and is ready to announce his decision at his his high school at 7 p.m. tonight. Humphries will decide between Florida, Tennessee, Auburn, Clemson and South Carolina. Most feel that the Gators and Vols are in the lead, with Florida the favorite.
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Don’t see U in there anywhere … Get Used to it Cane Fan. When all these 60-80 Top 4-5 Star kids start to commit, U will be nowhere in sight. Which is exactly way Goldie is stocking up early with average quantity…

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The Curse of Art Kehoe says:
August 5, 2011 at 7:31 pm
Don’t bother with the nonsense about Golden “backing off on him” Village Idiot. He never wanted ANYTHING to do with 2nd tier UM. He did have offers from ALL the big boys.

U LOSE AGAIN

Yesterday Jameis Winston
Today DJ Humphries.

He wants to learn under the top OC in all of football

Reply
Soldy… The Real One says:
August 5, 2011 at 7:45 pm
The Best TWO O-Tackles Recruits heading to Titletown…

Bookends til 2015 … See U and Ur ** Stars in 2013 chUmps.

Might want to get Ur Phat Azzzed # 77 a “Cane”

They’re scrambling like a kicked over moUnd of ants Arty …

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Soldy… The Real One says:
August 5, 2011 at 7:47 pm
hUrts don’t it Cane Fan … Ur getting left behind yet again, bUt Ur used to it by now after 8 years…

Ur next ** Star project will be ?

the rest of the 50-60 or so top 3-4-5 Star kids don’t even have U as a consideration.
But tell us Canesfool, how duh U has interest in them.

Oh yeah… U didn’t even offer Humphries. Why is that ? Tell us all about it.

Al is getting after it! Number five recruiting class in the nation! And still early with as many as 8 more schollies to give! This guy is a whirling dervish, and from what Coach D is telling big boosters privately, the strength and conditioning of this team is off the charts.

I wonder what your girlfriends say about you……..wait a minute what am I saying. Man I crack myself up sometimes. You losers can’t get girlfriends and no your cousin or sister doesn’t count.

You bash Miami and say how crap they are, but will never sac up and play Miami. Keep ducking the leader, but claim how good you are. Miami would be an easy win, but we don’t want to schedule them because WE ARE SCARED.

Girlfirends…yeah, that cracks me up too. Imagine the woman who would sit next to some guy as he checks out multiple sites about a team he keeps telling her he hates, not just reading but actually studying and archiving important bits of info, and then he goes on to post, who knows how many times, each day on blogs of a team he tells her he can’t stand…and when she asks why he spends so much time acting jealous and obsessing instead of simply filling out the uf application and giving it a shot (I think it’s available online), he tells her it’s because he is a college football fan….yeah, that would go over great. Notice the major increase in posts by these “guys” (I say that because we all know it could be all from one person) as the start of the season comes closer…they must be a little nervous. Honestly, I think they believe in the 2011 UM team more than I do. I’m just hoping to tread water until a real qb emerges, but these guys are going crazy at the thought of a UM team without RS at the helm. I don’t know what they’re saying because I only seldomly read any of the Curse or Soldy or whatever other ridiculous names are posted, but the sheer number of posts is…disturbing and gratifying at the same time.

BW…..I think Miami can get by this year with whichever guy wins the job. I like the look of Williams, but Morris has all the tools to be great too. The coaching has to be there though. Quality coaching can turn all this around. 9-3 this year should be the expectation and bounce here or there and they could be in the ACC title game with a 10-2 record.

Awwwwwee… excUse cane and BJw at home on a friday nite posting from 9-10 pm with nothing else to do… U boys really must get out more…

Just got in Arty and my girlfriend’s Bi-dar was in full effect (w/ 6 Jager Bombs to prime it) and she found a sweet lil Venezuelan girlfriend for the weekend… they’re startn without me so gotta go wash up the BIG Lizzard Boy and his baggage for a lil ole fashion 4 hander, 2 moUther n 4 clam lipper with queen conch entrances … My gal is a fine azz Cuban/Irish pain in the AZZZ Cane fan and lovvvvees calling me her Big Daddy Gator Man as I whip that Cane Azzz like any Gator does… Think I’ll have her put on her orange # 11 jersey and her new gal pal the Green one for full effect… gonna be an early morning. later bro.

Yeah I was at home, with my wife and 3 year old asleep I figured I would see if Steve had posted anything about the Canes. Did you hear that? My wife, not sister/cousin/aunt/uncle. You post at 1:41 AM and 6 AM. Did you have to be at work by 7 for your assistant to the toll both operator job?

How much is your “girlfriend” per night? I bet she is like Borat’s “girlfriend” he brought to the dinner party in Atlanta. BIG SURPRISE YOU OWN HURRICANE GREEN AND ORANGE JERSEYS, but you and I know those weren’t girls. Did you see that big thing sticking out of the front of their necks? Those are called an adam’s apple and only guys have those. The deep voice and the fact she/he wanted to go home with you should have really tipped you off.

And look at that I’m on a blog of the team I like. Wow what a novel concept.

With his nfl arm, Morris is going to get the nod. But you gotta feel good about this position now that we have a grownup running the offense and the Mad Scientist Whipple is gone to cleveland where he won’t be calling plays.
Having two grizzled vets who can make all the throws with a smash mouth running game to boot makes Canes everywhere happy. Thank God we don’t hav4 the situation in TrAILERTRASHTOWN USAQ with woeful Johnny Brantley backed up by two guys who have never taken a snap, no recievers no running game to speak of.

I watched Whipple for years. He did amazing things at UMASS on his way to winning the D-2 National Championship. He will dramatically reduce the sacks on, dare I say it, Heisman candidate Jacory Harris. I can’t wait to see Whip in action in Miami. Trust me when I tell you hurricane fans that Mark whipple will …….huh? What? He got canned? ……Nevermind